Miscellaneous Japanese - New for 2022

[bmathison1972]

This thread will be for Japanese/Asian companies other than 1) Kaiyodo, 2) Bandai/Bandai Spirits, 3) Takara Tomy A.R.T.S., 4) Ikimon/Kitan Club; those four are large and prolific enough to get their own thread. Companies here include, but are not limited to:

F-toys
Qualia
SO-TA/Toys Spirits
Epoch/Tarlin
Yell
For Corporation
Sasto/Sasto 3DFile
...others

For starters, some hummingbirds by SO-TA. I am very interested in these; can't tell if there are 2 species in different poses, or more than 2 species. Also, anyone have any ideas of the species (or can it be translated from the paperwork)? I assume they represent Japanese/Southeast Asian species, but that isn't a given.

[Halichoeres]

Hmm, those are interesting. I'm pretty sure hummingbirds are New World only. It's a very unusual palette--the great majority of hummingbirds prominently feature green in their plumage.

Edit: I wonder if it's meant to be the bee hummingbird Mellisuga helenae?

[bmathison1972]

Hmm, those are interesting. I'm pretty sure hummingbirds are New World only. It's a very unusual palette--the great majority of hummingbirds prominently feature green in their plumage.

Edit: I wonder if it's meant to be the bee hummingbird Mellisuga helenae?

Hummingbirds are endemic to the New World! I can't believe I brain-farted that! LOL.

And yes, I think what we have here is one resting and one flying each of a male and female of the same species. The bee hummer, Mellisuga helenae, is a good thought (which means it is probably 1:1 scale). If that's the case, I'll probably get the female resting and male flying.

[endogenylove]

Hummingbirds are so underrepresented in the toy world, this is wonderful to see.

[bmathison1972]

Some Qualia lizards

@Gwangi @Lanthanotus - any idea of the species? Are they just bearded dragons?





Also, some spiny lobsters by Toys Spirits. Haven't figured out the gimmick yet. Can't tell if they are supposed to be different species or color morphs of the same. Probably a pass for me.

[Lanthanotus]

Yes, indeed @bmathison1972 , just  "cutified" versions of the many color breeds of the Pogona species ( hernrylawsoni and vitticeps).

[Gwangi]

They look like bearded dragons hybridized with shingleback skinks and with the coloration of leopard gecko morphs.

[Isidro]

They look like bearded dragons hybridized with shingleback skinks and with the coloration of leopard gecko morphs.

This statement looks rather confuse to me. Looks like you missed the fact that there are three figures representing leopard geckos and the other three representing bearded dragons.

[Gwangi]

They look like bearded dragons hybridized with shingleback skinks and with the coloration of leopard gecko morphs.

This statement looks rather confuse to me. Looks like you missed the fact that there are three figures representing leopard geckos and the other three representing bearded dragons.

Indeed they are, looking at the picture on my phone I assumed they were all color variations of the same toy. That explains why some of them have leopard gecko colors, they are leopard geckos. 

[Lanthanotus]

Haha, I thought the same as Gwangi, that alle are the same toy (just side inverted and with different colors) , the small image does not give away the details of the difference (maibly in the head) very well. The head on the geckos looks especially off, even when one considers these sculpts to be "cutified" with artistic license.

[Isidro]

They're not the same toy at all, the sculpts are completely different and one is well done as a gecko while the other is well done as a bearded dragon. Probably the differences are not very apparent if you see the whole image as a very small screenshot on a mobile device. As I saw the announcement in a computer, the differenciation between both sculpts came instantly to me.

[Gwangi]

They're not the same toy at all, the sculpts are completely different and one is well done as a gecko while the other is well done as a bearded dragon. Probably the differences are not very apparent if you see the whole image as a very small screenshot on a mobile device. As I saw the announcement in a computer, the differenciation between both sculpts came instantly to me.

We both acknowledged that they're not the same sculpt. I think you can calm down about it now.

[bmathison1972]

Some black cats by Tarlin:

[bmathison1972]

Birds by Yell:




Cats by a company called Ken Elephant (new to me); they apparently have LED lights in them that light up the eyes:

[bmathison1972]

Koro Koro dogs:




Yell hamsters, designed to attach to cords.

Figures attaching to cords is an increasingly common theme; maybe with so many people working from home, this is an attempt to liven up the home office 

[bmathison1972]

Yell 'cute' seals:




Eurasian tree sparrows by Tarlin:

[bmathison1972]

Toys Spirits spiders!!!!

From what I have been told, the spiders are PVC and removable from their little 'books' and also come with a mini diorama! Not sure if that pertains to all or if different figures have different gimmicks. Also looks like some new and unique species!

[Isidro]

That presentation way is so unique and original! I assume that it's the same for all 5 spiders. Each book have a cover, a first pagewith factsheet, and a box that holds the spider and I suppose is that box with can be transformed into a background diorama. Looks like to me the species are the ubiquous Brachypelma smithii, Latrodectus mactans, Hasarius adansoni, Argiope bruennichi? and the most interesting one, Theridion grallator!

[bmathison1972]

the widow has red on the dorsum, so I suspect it will be Latrodectus hasselti. The Argiope seems stylized a little, but Japanese companies tend to make A. aurantia (hard to say from this perspective). Theridion grallator is most exciting; I have often wondered when a company would make one.

I ordered the set, we'll have to see if the Latin names are provided in the little books.

[MudpupWaterdog]

Oh I am so excited for that Theridion grallator! I used to have a little toy one that I got somewhere in Hawai'i as a kid. It was just a generic tiny plastic spider like the kind that come in a Halloween decoration bag, but it was a light greenish white with the happy face painted on it.

I'm kinda surprised that, considering Hawai'i's place in Japanese tourism culture, no Japanese company has done a set of specifically Hawaiian wildlife. There are a lot of interesting & unique species there to choose from. Maybe someone has an I just haven't seen it yet. It would also be a great TOOB.